"Turn the game off type of play": Fever fans react after Temi Fagbenle fools three Indiana players with immaculate fake

Golden State Valkyries center Temi Fagbenle made a highlight play in the second quarter against her former Indiana Fever teammates on Sunday. Fagbenle grabbed an offensive rebound following her own miss before faking a pass that fooled Aliyah Boston, Shey Peddy and Brianna Turner. Without anyone near her, Fagbenle calmly scored a layup.

Fans promptly reacted to the play:

“turn the game off type of play.”

One fan said:

Another fan added:

One more fan continued:

Another fan commented:

The play started when the Valkyries forced Fever All-Star guard Kelsey Mitchell to switch on Fagbenle. Without any hesitation, the veteran frontliner drove to the basket but missed a layup. She grabbed the rebound as Mitchell fell before fooling Boston, Peddy and Turner with a pass. The basket, which had the fans on their feet, pushed the Valkyries’ lead to 34-14.

Temi Fagbenle has played a crucial role for the Golden State Valkyries this season. The expansion team swooped to get the veteran center after the Indiana Fever refused to secure her ahead of the expansion draft. She reminded her former teammates of her two-way value on Sunday.

Temi Fagbenle is putting up career-high numbers after leaving Indiana

Heading into Sunday’s game, Temi Fagbenle is averaging career-high numbers in points (7.1), rebounds (5.0), assists (1.7) and steals (0.8). She has started in 33 of 32 games for the Golden State Valkyries, the most in her career.

Fagbenle’s impact and value don’t readily show up in the box scores. She anchors a defense that is fourth in the WNBA. Fagbenle, who relishes doing the dirty work, can also contribute on the offensive end. The veteran has been a crucial factor in the Valkyries' playoff hunt in just their first season in the league.

This season, the Valkyries are 2-0 against the Fever before Sunday’s showdown in San Francisco. Fagbenle helped her team to an 88-77 win in mid-June but missed the second encounter due to her international basketball commitment with Great Britain in the 2025 EuroBasket.

After moving out of the shadows of All-Star Aliyah Boston, Temi Fagbenle has shown that she can play starting center. Fagbenle’s career-high numbers are helping the Valkyries’ push for a postseason berth.

About the author

Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael's background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich's genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael's reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael's children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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Edited by Michael Macasero